Turbine driven sprinkler



Feb. 1, 1966 J. M. HAIT TURBINE DRIVEN SPRINKLER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 10, 1963 JAMES M. HAIT ATTORNEY Feb. 1, 1966 J M. HAIT 3,232,539

TURBINE DRIVEN SPRINKLER Filed April 10, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 88 JAMES M. HAIT ATTORNEY Feb. 1, 1966 J. M. HAIT ,2

TURBINE DRIVEN SPRINKLER Filed April 10, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 us n4 KL 108 us INVENT JAMES M. T

ATTORNEY Feb. 1, 196.6 J. M. HAIT 3,232,539

TURBINE DRIVEN SPRINKLER Filed April 10, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTO JAMES M. H

ATTORNEY United States Patent 2 ,232,539 TURBWE DRIVEN SFRHNKLER James M. Halt, San Jose, Calif., assignor to FMC Zorporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 271,965 13 Claims. (Cl. 239222.1S)

This invention pertains to apparatus for sprinkling lawns, crops and the like, and more particularly relates to an improved sprinkler of the type that is adapted to move in an arcuate path while discharging liquid over a circular or partially circular area.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanism for causing a sprinkler head to move in a generally circular path while discharging liquid.

Another object is to provide a turbine powered mechanism for moving a sprinkler head along an arcuate path.

Another object is to provide an efiicient means for causing a sprinkler head to oscillate back and forth through a predetermined angular range of movement.

Another object is to provide an improved means for undulating the discharge end of a sprinkler head as the head is moved along an arcuate path.

Another object is to provide an improved deflector assembly for a sprinkler head.

Another object is to provide means for moving a sprinkler head along an arcuate path with an intermittent motion.

Another object is to provide an improved nozzle for a sprinkler head.

Other and further features and objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section taken centrally through a sprinkler constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the riser pipe and liquid supply conduit with which the sprinkler is associated being shown partly in elevation.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken centrally through the outermost end of a sprinkler, and particularly showing a second embodiment of the turbine drive mechanism of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section showing a modified form of tubular nozzle adapted for use with the sprinkler of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section, similar to FIG. 2, and showing a third embodiment of the turbine drive mecha- IliSlTl.

FiGURE 5 is a bottom plan of a turbine wheel and drive pin similar to the one disclosed in FIG. 4, but which additionally has vanes of progressively varied angularity.

FIG. 5A is a fragmentary section taken on line SA- 5A of FIG. 5, showing the angularity of the shortest vane.

FIG. 5B is a fragmentary section taken on line 5B- SB of FIG. 5, showing the angularity of the deepest vane.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section, similar to FIG. 1, and particularly showing a fourth embodiment of the turbine drive mechanism of the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 1 and showing another embodiment of the turbine drive mechanism.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary elevation showing a developed view of a guide track used in the sprinkler of FIG. 8.

FIGS. 10, ll and 12 are vertical sections, similar to FIG. 1, each view showing a still diiferent embodiment of the sprinkler of the present invention.

IG. 13 is a bottom plan of a turbine wheel similar to the one disclosed in FIG. 4, but which has vanes of equal length and of progressively varying angularity.

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FIG. 14 is a fragmentary section taken on line 14-- 14 of FIG. 13, showing the angularity of the shortest vane.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary section taken on line 15-15 of FIG. 13, showing the angularity of the deepest vane.

In the embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration in FIG. 1, the springler head 29 comprises a guide ring 22 which is made of rigid material, such as aluminum or a suitable plastic, and has a lower, internally threaded hub 24 adapted to be threadedly engaged with a nipple or riser pipe 25 projecting upwardly from a liquid supply conduit 26. At its upper end, the guide ring 22 has an annular inclined, downwardly facing track 28 along which a cylindrical drive pin 30 of a turbine wheel 32 rolls. The pin 39 may be cylindrical or may be formed as a frustum of a cone (not shown) tapering inwardly toward its free end and formed as an axial projection of a short brass or stainless steel shaft 34 which has one portion bonded, or secured in any other suitable manner, to a relatively rigid rubber turbine wheel. The opposite end portion of shaft 34 is rotatably journalled'in a bushing 36 that is secured in a carrier 37 formed of a rigid plastic material. A circular plate 38 that is formed on shaft 34 adjacent pin 30, rides along the upper edge of the guide ring.

As will be explained below, when the turbine wheel is rotated, the drive pin 30 frictionally grips the track 28 and rolls along the track causing the carrier 37 to move in a circular path. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the drive pin 30 and the track 28 should be made of materials which have the ability to frictionally grip each other, or the surfaces of these members should be prepared, as by serrating or roughening, so that this relationship will exist.

A liquid conducting tube or nozzle 40, which is mounted within the guide ring 22, has a lower cylindrical body portion 41 that is disposed within a cylindrical opening 42 in the ring 22. A flange 43 on the nozzle underlies a shoulder 44 on the ring, and the periphery of the flange snugly engages the internal wall of a recess 45 formed in the ring. The lower end 46 of the nozzle extends into the riser pipe 25 to receive water therefrom.

A plurality of corrugations 50 are formed on the exterior surface of the nozzle, permitting the nozzle to flex laterally. In a particularly advantageous arrangement, helical threads or convolutions (not shown) are formed on the nozzle, said threads being effective to promote movement of the upper end of the nozzle in a circular path. The upper cylindrical end 51 of the nozzle is disposed in an opening 53 in a laterally projecting portion 54 of the carrier 37, with plastic ball bearings disposed in opposed grooves'SS and 56 in the carrier and in the nozzle respectively. The outer portion 54-A of the laterally projecting carrier portion 54 may be provided as a removable member so that, in effect, a split bearing unit (not shown) is formed on the carrier 37 to retain the outer end of the nozzle 40 and permit rotatable, selfadjusting movement between the nozzle and the carrier.

The nozzle 40 has a central passage 60 that tapers inwardly along its length toward a generally cylindrical portion 61 at its discharge end. Water under pressure leaving the nozzle is directed against vanes 63 formed on the periphery of the turbine wheel 32. The vanes may be inclined relative to the direction of flow of the jet leaving the nozzle, so that the turbine wheel will 'be to tated due to the reaction of the wheel to the impingement of the water on the blades. It should be noted that the reaction of the nozzle 40 to the discharge of the jet of water will cause the drive pin 30 to be pressed against the guide track 28. The angle of the turbine wheel vanes relative to the jet of water and the distance,

measured radially of the turbine wheel, that the blade projects into the path of the jet is such that rotation of the drive pin will cause the carrier 37, and the attached nozzle 40, to move around the guide ring 22. After the water impinges on the vanes of the turbine wheel, it continues outwardly and is distributed over a circular area, during the circular movement of the nozzle.

In FIGURE 2, a modified form of the sprinkler "head is illustrated which features a rubber ring 65, such as a typical O-ring that is disposed in an annular groove 66 in the guide track 28A. The drive pin 30A, carried by turbine shaft 34A rides along the rubber ring 65 which provides a good friction surface. It is also within the scope of the present invention to form teeth (not shown) on the drive pin to assure a more or less positive drive engagement between the pin and the track.

In FIGURE 3, a nozzle 70 is illustrated which is made of plastic material and is formed as a bellows. The lower, generally cylindrical end 71 of the nozzle has an external configuration identical to the lower end 41 of nozzle 40 (FIG. 1) and is adapted to be positioned in the lower portion of the guide ring 22. Similarly, the upper end 72 of nozzle 70 is identical in configuration to the upper end 51 of nozzle 40 and is adapted to be rotatably held in the laterally projecting portion 54A of the carrier 37.

Aremovable orifice tube 74, which is held in the discharge passage 75 of nozzle due to its tight frictional engagement with the walls of the passage, is made of metal, plastic or any material which is resistant to the abrasive action of the water jet.

Since the orifice tube can be removed, a tube having a passage of a size and shape to give desired discharge characteristics can be readily provided in the nozzle 70. The plastic material, and the thickness and configuration of the Walls of the nozzle 70 are such that the nozzle has sufficient resilience and flexibility to cause it to react to the discharge of the water jet in the same manner as nozzle 40, causing the associated turbine wheel to be held in driving engagement with the nozzle.

In FIGURE 4 an embodiment of the sprinkler head is shown which is identical to sprinkler head 20 of FIG. 1 except that the drive pin 30C is eccentric to the axis of turbine shaft 34C on which it is formed, and the vanes 63C of the turbine wheel 320 are of different heights or lengths. The two extremes in the lengths of the vanes 63C are designated by the dimension A, indicating the height of the shortest vane, and by the dimension B, indicating the height of the longest or deepest vane. It will be appreciated that, as the nozzle 40C is driven along a circular path, the jet of water discharged from the nozzle will have an undulating, up and down movement due to the eccentricity of the drive pin 300. This undulating movement will cause the water to be distributed more evenly than may be possible with a uniform circular movement of the nozzle. During this up and down movement of the outer end of the nozzle, the force with which the drive pin 30C is pressed against the guide track 28C varies as the nozzle moves toward or away froma vertical position, the force being greatest when the nozzle is bent farthest from the vertical position. The vanes 63C are so designed that, when this maximum traction condition exists, the deepest vanes on the turbine wheel, such as those having a length in the order of the dimension B, are opposite the jet. When the nozzle is closest to a vertical position and traction requirements are at a minimum, the shortest vanes, such as those having a length in the order of the dimension A, are opposite the jet. In FIG. 4, the pin 300 is below the. axis of shaft 340 and, accordingly the nozzle 40C is in its most upright position. It will be noted that, at this time, the smallest vanes on the wheel 32C are opposite the jet issuing from the nozzle. As the wheel rotates and the nozzle is progressively bent away from the position of FIG. 4, progressively deeper vanes are presented in front of the jet. Accordingly as the traction load increases, the turning force produced by the turbine wheel is also increased. It will be evident that, when the nozzle reaches the position farthest from vertical, the traction requirement is greatest and the vane area is greatest. As the nozzle moves toward a vertical position, the traction requirement decreases and the vanes are of less depth.

It will be evident from FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 that, instead of increasing the contact area of the blades of the turbine Wheel in the sprinkler head shown in FIG. 1 to obtain a greater turning effort of the wheel, blades 63D, FIG. 13, of equal length can be used and the angle of the blades could be increased to present a greater effective area in the path of the jet of water to obtain maximum turning effort. With this arrangement, the vanes of the turbine wheel 32D, FIG. 13, will be most nearly parallel to the direction of movement of the jet of water, as indicated in FIG. 14 by the angle 3. When the traction requirements are minimum, and the vanes are inclined farthest from said parallel position, as indicated in FIG. 15 by the angle h, the traction requirements are maximum. Of course, an arrangement, shown in FIG. 5, may be used wherein the vanes 63E of the turbine wheel 32E are varied in length and their angle is also progressively changed. In this figure, the vanes having a height in the order of the dimension X are the shortest and are inclined the least, as indicated in FIG. 5A by the angle i, and the vanes having a length in the order of the dimension Y are the longest or deepest and are inclined farthest, as indicated in FIG. 53 by the angle 1 in FIG- URE 5.

In FIGURE 6, a jogging-type sprinkler head is illustrated that is substantially identical to the head 20 of FIG. 1 and, accordingly, the parts of head 80 that are similar to the parts of head 20 will be given identical reference numbers followed by a sufiix D. It will be noted that the turbine wheel 32D has a shaft 81 provided with two annular grooves 82 and 83 adapted to receive ball bearings 84 which also ride in grooves 85 formed in the carrier 37D. The turbine shaft has an eccentric drive pin 30D that is disposed in an arcuate recess 88 formed in an extension 89 of the carrier 37D.

When the eccentric drive pin 30D is rotated about the axis of turbine shaft 81, it will be alternately moved into and out of driving engagement with the guide track 28D. When the pin is in contact with track 28D, the head will start to move in a circular path but, when the pin moves out of engagement with the track, the circular movement of the head stops. As seen in FIG. 7, when the pin 30D moves out of contact with the track 28D, two flat abutment surfaces 90 on the extension 89 of carrier 37D move into engagement with the track. When the pin engages the track, as shown in phantom lines, the abutment surfaces 90 are moved away from the track and the pin drives the carrier around the track for a short distance. With this arrangement, a desirable jogging action of the head may be obtained.

In FIGURES 8 and 9 an oscillating sprinkler head is illustrated which includes a rubber nozzle 101 that is identical to nozzle 40 of FIG. 1 and is adapted to be mounted in the lower hub 102 of a guide ring 103 in the same manner as nozzle 40 is mounted in ring 22. The hub 102 is externally threaded for engagement in a tapped tubular projection 104 on a liquid supply conduit 106. The guide ring 103 has a generally cylindrical upper end 107 in which a recess 108 is formed. A toothed track 110 is formed around the outer edge of the recess 108 and includes upper and lower parallel track portions 114 and 115 (FIGS. 8 and 9) and end portions 116 and 117. An oval guide groove is formed at the inner end of recess 108 in the form of two spaced grooves 118 and 119 that are separated by a tongue 120 and are connected at their adjacent ends by curved grooves 121 and 122.

The upper end of nozzle 101 is rotatably retained in r the end of a carrier 125 in which a shaft 126 of a turbine wheel 127 is rotatably journalled. A gear 130, which is formed integrally with shaft 126 or keyed thereto, has teeth formed on its periphery that are inclined at a particular angle relative to the axis of the gear and are designed to mesh with the inclined teeth of the rack formed by the track 110. A central guide pin 131 of the gear 130 is disposed in the oval guide groove. When the turbine wheel 127 is rotated by the jet of water, the gear will'roll along the track 110, causing the nozzle to move the guide ring 103. During movement in one direction, the guide pin 131 of the turbine shaft will be disposed in the upper groove 118 and the outer end of the nozzle will be in a raised position. When the end of the upper groove 118 is reached, the pin 131 will be directed into the lower groove and, accordingly, the nozzle will be lowered as it moves in an opposite direction around the guide track. The arrangement of FIG. 8 provides a positive driving engagement between the turbine wheel and the guide ring 103 and, due to the two elevations of the nozzle, makes possible a relatively uniform distribution of the water. a a a Since the length of the guide track determines the angular sweep of the nozzle, it will be evident that, by providing guide rings having tracks of different lengths, the angular sweep of the nozzle may be changed at will by substituting one guide track for another. For example, guide tracks designed to give a 90, a 180,a 270, or any other desirable angular movement of the nozzle may be provided.

In FIGURES 10, 11 and 12, embodiments of the invention are illustrated wherein no annular guide ring is employed, the drive pin of the turbine wheel shaft being used to guide the nozzle in a circular path. In FIG. 10, a sprinkler head 140 is shown which comprises a support base 141 that has a lower end 141A arranged to be threaded into a tapped projection 142 of a conduit 143. The base 141 has'a plurality of spaced upstanding arms 144 that are united at their upper ends by a cylindrical member 145 in which is formed a central opening whose axis is aligned vertically with the axis of a central opening 146 in the threaded lower end 141A of the base. A turbine wheel 147 has its shaft 148 journalled for rotation in a bearing 149 disposed in the cylindrical member 145. Thrust washers 150 are disposed between the wheel 147 and the bearing 149 and between the bearing 149 and a pm 152 that extends through the upper end of shaft 148 to prevent downward movement of the wheel. A conical drive pin 155 is formed integrally on the shaft 148 below the turbine wheel, and the upper cylindrical end 156 of a rubber nozzle 157 bears against the pin. The nozzle 157 has a lower cylindrical portion 158 disposed in the opening 146 in the base 141 and a flange 159 underlying the lower end 141A of the base. The outer surface of the nozzle is provided with a helical thread integrally formed thereon.

When a jet of water issues from the nozzle, it impinges on the vanes of the wheel 147 causing the drive pin 155 to rotate and effect movement of the upper end of the nozzle in a circular path around the pin. The tendency of the rubber nozzle to move toward a vertical position causes it to maintain a pressure against the drive pin whereby a drive relationship will exist and the upper end of the nozzle will move in the above mentioned circular path.

A deflector 163 is disposed on the upper end of the arms 144 of the base. This deflector has a lower end 163A that fits snugly over the curved portions of the arms. If necessary, the lower portion 163A may be provided with longitudinal slots (not shown) to permit the deflector to be sprung slightly as it is positioned on the arms or, alternately, the lower portion 163A of the deflector may be made cylindrical in configuration and the outer surfaces of the arms may be formed to slidably receive such a cylindrical member.

5 The deflector may be secured on the arms in any suitable manner as by setscrews (not shown).

The upper portion 163B of the deflector 163 is dome shaped or generally hemispherical in configuration and has a central discharge opening 164 in its upper end. The inner concavely curved surface of the dome receives the jet of water after it leaves the turbine wheel 147 and guides it upwardly and inwardly over shaft 148. a

in FEGURE 11 a sprinkler head 170 is illustrated which includes a support base 171 that has a lower end 172 arranged to be threaded into a tapped projection 173 of a conduit 174. The base 171 has an annular flange 175 from which a curved bearing support arm 176 projects upwardly. The shaft 179 of an impeller or turbine Wheel 1813 is rotatably journalled in a cylindrical opening 183 formed in the end of the curved arm 176, the axis of opening 183 being aligned with the axis of a central opening 135 in the threaded lower end 172 of the base 171. Thrust washers 173 are disposed between the turbine wheel and the lower surface of the arm 176, and between the upper surface of the arm 176 and a pin 178 that projects transversely through the upper end of shaft 17% and is effective to prevent-downward movement of the turbine wheel relative to the arm.

A cylindrical drive pin 188 is formed integrally on the shaft 179 below the turbine wheel, and the upper frustoconical surface of a drive head 190 formed on a rubber nozzle 191 bears against the drive pin. The nozzle has a lower cylindrical portion 192 disposed in the opening 185 in the base 171 and a flange 193 underlying the lower end of the base. The outer surface of the nozzle is provided with a helical thread integrally formed thereon.

When a jet of water issues from the nozzle, it impinges on the vanes of the turbine wheel 180, causing the drive pin 188 to rotate and effect movement of the upper end of the nozzle in a circular path about the axis of pin 138. The tendency of the rubber nozzle to move toward a vertical position causes it to maintain a pressure against the drive pin whereby a drive relationship will exist and the upper end of the nozzle will move in the abovementioned circular path.

In order that the water may be distributed only over a selected sector, a deflector 2110 is secured by capscrews 201 to the flange 175 of the base 171. The deflector is a sheet metal member having a lower portion 262, which is formed as part of a cylinder, and an upper portion 293 that is coextensive with the lower portion 202 in the distance that it extends around the axis of shaft 179 and is curved in cross-section to provide a concave inner surface which redirects a jet, issuing from the nozzle, along a path extending over shaft 179. As seen in FIG. 11 the deflector 200 extends for around the shaft 17%. Accordingly, water issuing from the nozzle, when the nozzle is moving around the part of the head that does not have the deflector, will be unobstructed and will be projected a substantial distance away from the sprinkler head. When the nozzle moves around the 180 sector covered by the deflector, the jet will impinge on the concave inner surface of the deflector and will be redirected back toward the same sector already covered by the unobstructed jet. Since the deflector absorbs some of the force of the jet, it will not be projected outwardly away from the sprinkler head as far as the unobstructed jet. Accordingly, an area closer to the sprinkler head will be covered by the redirected jet leaving the deflector. 180 angular extent it is evident that deflectors which extend different angular distances around the axis of the sprinkler. head can be provided.

An aperture or tunnel 2415 is provided in the arm 176 at the point in the arm that would normally intercept the jet of water leaving the nozzle. Each side of the tunnel 205 is bounded by a relatively thin wall portion 206 (one only being shown). Since the walls are thin While the illustrated deflector .209 has a compared to the thickness of the arm 176, the obstruction that the arm would normally provide to the jet is minimized.

In FIGURE 12 another embodiment 210 of the sprinkler head of the present invention is shown. This head includes a base 211 which has a lower end 212 arranged to be threaded into a tapped boss 213 of a conduit 214. The base has an annular flange 215 from which a curved arm 216 projects upwardly. The shaft 220 of an impeller or turbine wheel 221 is rotatably journalled in a rubber bearing 222 carried in an opening 223 in the upper end of the arm, said opening being axially aligned with the axis of a central opening 225 in the threaded lower end 212 of the base 211. The rubber bearing 222, which will absorb radial loads imposed on the impeller shaft, is provided with a passage 227 that communicates with a plurality of passages 228 (one only being shown) in the impeller 221. Each time a jet of water engages the portions of the impeller adjacent the end of one of the passages 228, water will be directed through the passage and will pass into passage 227 of the bearing when the passages momentarily register during rotation of the im peller. With this arrangement the surface between the shaft 220 is continually lubricated by the water. A thrust washer 230 is disposed between the upper surface of arm 216 and a pin 231 projecting through shaft 220 to resist downward movement of the impeller.

A'cylindrical drive pin 232 is formed integrally on the shaft 220 below the turbine wheel, and the frusto conical surface 233 of a drive head 234 formed on a rubber nozzle 235 bears against the drive pin. The nozzle has a lower cylindrical portion 237 disposed in the opening 225 in the lower portion of the base 211, and a flange 238 underlying the lower end of the base. The outer surface of the nozzle is provided with a helical thread that is formed integrally thereon.

The impeller or turbine Wheel 221 has a plurality of spaced vanes 240 at its periphery. Between each pair of adjacent vanes, the impeller is provided with a curved surface which includes a lower portion 241 that is substantially in alignment with an edge of the central dis charge opening in the upper end of the nozzle 235, and an upper portion 242 adapted to direct the water out- Wardly away from the sprinkler head. Accordingly, a jet of water issuing from the nozzle will he smoothly received in the space between vanes and redirected outwardly.

As the water passes over the vanes, which may be disposed at any desired angle relative to the direction of movement of the jet leaving the nozzle, the turbine wheel Is caused to rotate, and the driving engagement of the lrive pin 232 and the frusto-conical surface 233 causes :he upper end of the nozzle to move in a circular path around the axis of the shaft 220.

It will be appreciated that, by changing the curvature )f the upper portion 242 of the wall between adjacent lanes of the turbine wheel, the angle at which the water eaves the turbine, relative to a horizontal plane can be Iaried. For example if the outer end of the portion 242 were curved so that it is in a plane normal to the tXlS of shaft 220, the water would be directed outwardly :lose to the ground. Such an arrangement has particular tdvantages for distributing water in orchards or the like vhere low growing branches might obstruct the movement of water directed upwardly at a high angle relative o the ground.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that he present invention provides a particularly efficient tpparatus for distributing water over a circular area or t portion of a circular area. While various materials 11d various structural members have been described in letail, it should be understood that variations may be made without departing from the teachings of the inention. It will be evident that the nozzle must always we made of a material that can be flexed lateral y from a vertical position and that will tend to return toward that position. Further the drive pin on the turbine wheel and the part which it engages must be designed, and the material from which these parts are made must be so chosen that a frictional driving engagement between these parts is provided for, alternately, positively engaging parts, such as teeth, must be provided so that rotation of the drive pin will cause movement of the upper end of the nozzle in a circular path. Also, it will be understood that, in each embodiment of the invention, the

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A sprinkler head comprising a fixed support member, a flexible conduit of normally straight configuration adapted to resiliently resist lateral flexing and having an inlet end mounted in fixed position in said support member and in flow communication with a source of liquid under pressure, the discharge end of said conduit being arranged to emit a jet of the liquid, a turbine wheel mounted adjacent the discharge end of said conduit and having vanes disposed in the path of the jet issuing from said conduit to rotate said turbine wheel, and drive means powered by said turbine wheel and including a turbine wheel shaft and a drive pin projecting from one end of said shaft, said pin being rotatable with said turbine wheel and operatively connected in driving relation between said fixed support member and the discharge end of said conduit, said pin being effective to hold the discharge end portion of said conduit in a tensioned condition bent away from its normal straight con figuration, and the resiliency of said conduit being eflective to maintain said operative connection for moving said discharge end of the conduit along a path relative to said fixed support member during rotation of said turbine wheel.

2. A sprinkler head comprising a support base having drive pin projecting axially from an end of said shaft in offset parallel relation to the axis of said shaft, said pin being in driving contact with said circular guide track whereby when said turbine wheel and said drive member are rotated incident to impingement of liquid on said vanes, said drive pin will roll along said track and carry the discharge end of said conduit therewith, the offset relation of the drive pin and the turbine wheel shaft being effective to impart an undulating up and down movement to said conduit during movement along said track.

3. A sprinkler head according to claim 2 wherein the depth of the vanes of said turbine wheel vary progressively in height from a predetermined minimum to a maximum and then to a minimum around the periphery of the wheel, the location of said vanes being correlated with the position of said drive pin relative to the axis of said shaft whereby, when the traction requirements on said drive pin are maximum during undulation of said conduit, the vanes of maximum depth are opposite the jet of liquid and, when the traction requirements are minimum, the vanes of minimum depth are opposite the jet.

4. A sprinker head according to claim 1 wherein said drive pin is in oifset parallel relation to the axis of said shaft to impart an undulating up and down movement to said discharge end of said conduit moving along said path, and the angle or" the vanes of said turbine wheel relative to a radial plane of said wheel vary progressively from a condition substantially in said plane to a position at a predetermined angle relative to said plane, the angle of each blade relative to a radial plane of the wheel being correlated with the position of said drive pin relative to the axis of the shaft of said turbine wheel whereby, when the traction requirements on said pin are maximum during undulation of the discharge end of said conduit, the vane of maximum angular inclination is opposite the jet and, when the traction requirements are minimum, the vane of minimum angular inclination is opposite the jet.

5. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 wherein said drive pin is in offset parallel relation to the axis of said shaft to impart an undulating up and down movement to said discharge end of said conduit moving along said path, and the vanes of said turbine wheel are of heights which increase progressively from a vane of minimum height disposed at a predetermined radial position to a vane of maximum height at a position 180 around said wheel from said radial position and then decrease progressively to said vane of minimum height during the next 180 of said wheel, said vanes being disposed at different angles relative to associated radial planes of said wheel, the angular disposition of the vanes increasing progressively from said vane of minimum height which has the minimum angle relative to its associated radial plane to said vane of maximum height which has the maximum angle relative to its associated radial plane and then decreasing progressively to said vane of minimum height and minimum angular disposition.

6. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 wherein said drive pin is in driving engagement with the discharge end of said conduit under the urgency of said conduit tending to return to its normal straight configuration whereby when said turbine wheel is rotated by the jet and said drive pin is rotated by said turbine wheel the discharge end of the bent conduit is moved in a circular path around the axis of said drive pin incident to the impingement of liquid on said vanes.

7. A sprinkler head according to claim 6 wherein said conduit includes means defining a contact surface on its discharge end, and said drive pin is in engagement with said contact surface, the engagement of said drive pin with said contact surface of said conduit being efiective to cause movement of the discharge end thereof in an arenate path when a jet of liquid discharged from said conduit impinges on the vanes of said turbine wheel to rotate the same.

8. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 wherein said fixed support member includes a circular guide track, said drive pin being in driving engagement with said guide track, whereby the jet of liquid leaving said conduit impinges on said vanes and rotates said turbine wheel and said drive pin thereof and causes movement of the bent discharge end portion of said conduit in a circular path around said track.

9. A sprinkler head according to claim 8 wherein the inlet end of said conduit is disposed centrally of said track, and said turbine wheel shaft is journalled in a carrier secured to the discharge end of said conduit, said carrier having an extension with a recess therein projecting alongside said track, said drive pin projecting axially from the end of said shaft in parallel ofiset relation to the axis of the shaft, the drive pin being disposed in the recess of said carrier extension and arranged to periodically move out of said recess during rotation of said shaft to engage said track and roll along the surface thereof and simultaneously move said carrier extension away from said track, said carrier extension having at least one contact surface opposite said track and movable into engagement with said track as said drive pin moves into said recess to temporarily arrest the movement of said conduit relative to said track.

10. A sprinkler head according to claim 6 wherein said support member has a central apertured hub and an upstanding support arm projects from said central apertured hub to a tubular member spaced above said hub, said tubular member having its axial opening in alignment with the axis of the aperture in said hub, the inlet end of said conduit being disposed in the aperture of said hub, said turbine wheel shaft being journalled in the axial opening in said tubular member, and a deflector extending over a sector around the turbine wheel shaft and having a curved guide surface for intercepting the jet of liquid while the discharge end of said conduit is moving in said sector and redirecting the liquid of the jet over the other 180 sector around the axis of said shaft.

11. A sprinkler head according to claim 6 wherein means is provided on said turbine wheel defining curved guide surfaces at the base of each pair of adjacent vanes for guiding the jet of liquid outwardly away from said sprinkler head in a predetermined direction.

12. The sprinkler head according to claim 1 and wherein said fixed support member includes a fixed circular guide track, said inlet end of said conduit being fixed in substantially vertical position against lateral movement, and said turbine wheel is operatively connected to said discharge end of said conduit whereby said drive pin powered by said turbine wheel is in driving engagement with said guide track for effecting circular movement of said discharge end of said conduit about said fixed inlet end of said conduit to distribute the liquid emitted as a jet.

13. The sprinkler head according to claim 1 and wherein said support member comprises a fixed guide member having an arcuate track extending at least part way around said conduit in radially spaced relation thereto below said discharge end of said conduit, and said turbine wheel with associated turbine wheel shaft and drive pin is connected to said discharge end with said drive pin being in driving engagement with said a-rcuate track.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,089,179 3/1914 Zeyssolfi 239234 1,297,818 3/1919 Fawkes 239-234 1,763,979 6/1930 Nelson 239-231 2,097,071 10/1937 Lichten 74-215 2,535,469 12/1950 Wanke 239-234 2,592,753 4/1952 Sigmund 239-231 2,687,013 8/1954 Sinclair 25 377 2,850,912 9/1958 Goldniark 74-206 2,963,228 12/ 1960 Hait 239-230 3,091,399 5/1963 Kennedy 239231 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,094,071 12/1954 France. 1,013,937 8/1957 Germany.

744,228 2/ 1956 Great Britain.

530,359 7/1955 Italy.

M. HENSON WOOD, 1a., Primary Examiner.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, LOUIS I. DEMBO,

Examiners. 

1. A SPRINKLER HEAD COMPRISING A FIXED SUPPORT MEMBER, A FLEXIBLE CONDUIT OF NORMALLY STRAIGHT CONFIGURATION ADAPTED TO RESILIENTLY RESIST LATERAL FLEXING AND HAVING AN INLET END MOUNTED IN FIXED POSITION IN SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND IN FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH A SOURCE OF LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE, THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID CONDUIT BEING ARRANGED TO EMIT A JET OF THE LIQUID A TURBINE WHEEL MOUNTED ADJACENT THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID CONDUIT AND HAVING VANES DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF THE JET ISSUING FRM SAID CONDUIT TO ROTATE SAID TURBINE WHEEL, AND DRIVE MEANS POWERED BY SAID TURBINE WHEEL AND INCLUDING A TURBINE WHEEL SHAFT AND A DRIVE PIN PROJECTING FROM ONE END OF SAID SHAFT, SAID PIN BEING ROTATABLE WITH SAID TURBINE WHEEL AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED IN DRIVING RELATION BETWEEN SAID FIXED SUPPORT MEMBER AND THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID CONDUIT, SAID PIN BEING EFFECTIVE TO HOLD THE DISCHARGE END PORTION OF SAID CONDUIT IN A TENSIONED CONDITIONED BENT AWAY FROM ITS NORMAL STRAIGHT CONFIGURATION, AND THE RESILIENCY OF SAID CONDUIT BEING EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN SAID OPERATIVE CONNECTION FOR MOVING 